Avatar: Mage of All Elements

If you want peace, prepare for war. A golden rule that has saved more than one nation. Was I ready? Absolutely. Were the people of the island ready? No. Kyoshi's warriors may be able to fight, but the common people are not. The fact that almost everyone on the island is a mage doesn't solve the problem. So we have to do something different. And that's a plan I've been working on for a long time.

But what's important now is something else. Where do we put Azula? The fact that she can fight doesn't bother me. If I could, I'd put her on the moon. As it is, I had to finish the bunker quickly and fortify it as much as possible. And stockpile food. And a lot of other things.

It took me a week to get it done and organized. And the rest of the time I was with Azula.

I knew that if war came, I couldn't win. They'd all die, but they'd win. And it was all about me. Aang was telling the truth. I'm the balance breaker. I'm the one who bends this world to my will. My power, my actions, bend the world more and more.

Now that the world is about to curl up into a spring, it has to straighten up. And the blow will come to me. I understand this and I am fully aware of it. The world itself is against me. So I know the outcome. But Azula and the child. For them, I would shatter the world completely to let them live.

But how? Follow the old plan? It will shatter the world, but the consequences will be terrible. That's not the answer. We need something to replace the Avatar when she dies. Something that can hold the world together and keep it from falling apart.

There's only one place I can find the answer. The spirit world. I must go there. But no matter how much I meditate, I can't get there. Go through the portal? It's closed, but I can't open it. Again, it's all about the Avatar. If I can get her on my side, maybe it'll work.

***

POV Raiko

«Any word from the Empire?» Raiko looked unimpressed. When news of the meeting reached him, it was too late. Advisor Kai had sent the report. Nobody knows what it was about, but the Empress went crazy and declared war on Kyoshi Island. Since then, Raiko slept only a few hours a night.

«Mass mobilization», his assistant spoke grimly, «Absolutely all mages in the country are being mobilized and put into formation», he rubbed his eyes in fatigue, «All troops are divided into two parts. One has completely occupied Ba Sing Se and driven out all the inhabitants, the other is preparing for a sea battle.»

«What's the prognosis?» asked Raiko murderously, realizing the full extent of the problem.

«Hard to say», the advisor rubbed his temples this time, «Most believe the Empire will win, but here, those who knew Yoko personally are betting on him.»

Raiko grabbed his head. Why had he entered politics? He had a loving wife, a favorite hobby and a business to run. He had enough to live on. But no, his youth had kicked in, he wanted to change everything for the better. And now the war. No one doubted that there would be one. It was a good thing that other nations didn't get involved, otherwise it would have turned sour.

«What about countermeasures?» Raiko returned to his work.

«Full economic blockade of both countries», he checked the documents and said, «Same with the rest of the countries.»

«Have the shelters been prepared?»

«Yes», he checked the papers again, «The hospitals have been liberated, the camps have been dismantled, the army is ready. We're just waiting for the order and we'll go to help.»

«At least something is good», he forced out a small smile.

***

Three weeks. That was how long it had been since Korra's visit. And the first ship of the Earth Empire appeared on the horizon. It was a huge, metallic cruiser that was imposing. After one came a second, a third, a fourth, a tenth.

I counted two hundred and sixty ships. Insane power. Where the Earth Empire got so many ships, I didn't know.

«Battle alert!» I muttered seriously, «Raise all guards», I looked at the captain, «We've already discussed your actions, so you know what to do.»

«And you?» she asked in surprise. I just smiled, «Don't tell me that...»

«Take care of Azula.»

An impulse and I was thrown from the wall directly into the sea. I didn't want to act in a standard way, so I concentrated and kicked my legs and arms, forming jets of flame. While many people can fly, only two people can fly fast. Me and Azula, just because of the power of the flames. So I flew to the next ship at a decent speed.

A few minutes, the feeling of falling, and I landed on the ship. I was seen and expected. Only, it was the earth magicians who were waiting for me, with the earth. I smiled at that. And as if expected, the stones flew at me. One impulse and all the stones that flew at me froze in the air. Another one and they began to form a ring around me.

A few seconds and the attack was ready. An impulse and they vibrated into a ring of earth. A moment and the compacted earth shoots out small lumps at high speed in a circle, tearing the warriors of the Empire to pieces. Another moment and there are no survivors outside. But there are inside.

Concentrate and control them all with blood magic. Killing people wasn't a problem. Just like sinking a ship with metal magic. Less than a minute and the ship is sinking.

I looked around. Not all ships are that big. Only the top ten, the others are smaller. This one was the top ten. Fifteen minutes and the fleet was out of control.

They didn't know what to do, and I was sinking them one by one. Many did not want to go down and tried to escape, but I sank them all at once. It took me two hours to sink the entire fleet. And even though I was exhausted, I felt devastated.

I came back the same way, on firepower. I had used up too much energy from water magic to walk on water, and my body was at the limit from earth magic. I flew back to the wall and silently walked home, and there I went down to the bunker and finally got to Azula. I need to rest and heal my injuries. And tomorrow I will visit the Earth Empire.